Prior art discloses a class of hydroxy- and oxabicyclic compounds depicted by the following generic formula ##STR3## wherein the dotted line stands for a carbon-carbon single or double bond and wherein: ##STR4## and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 represent a hydrogen or a methyl group provided that (i) three at least of groups R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 represents a hydrogen atom and (ii) when the dotted line designates a carbon-carbon single bond and X is ##STR5## one of substituents R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 is a methyl and the others are hydrogen;
R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen, MgZ or Li;
Z represents chloro, bromo or iodo; and R.sub.6 represents a hydrogen or a methyl radical [see European Pat. Appln published on Mar. 10, 1982 under Ser. No. 0047154].
Though it does not fall under the definition given in the cited document, the application mentions 1,2,3,4,4a,5,8,8a-octahydro-2,2,6,8(5,7),8a-pentamethyl-1-naphthalenol, a compound which, according to the applicants, occurs as a mixture of the following compounds ##STR6##
From the molecular point of view, their structure is analogous to that of compound (I) of the instant invention. However, in spite of this analogy, the prior known mixture and the product of the invention possess dissimilar odor properties. In fact, the described mixture develops a strong woody odor of patchouli type, accompanied by an ambery and musky scent, whereas compound (I) possesses a lifting and very powerful fruity odor character reminiscent of eucalyptus fruits or blackcurrant buds. It possesses moreover a citrus note reminiscent more particularly of grapefruit or lemon. Owing to certain of its characters, namely its slightly sulfury note, compound (I) is also reminiscent of exotic fruits, particularly of passion fruit. These fragrance characters are very surprising when compared with the cited prior known derivatives of analogous structure which, as mentioned above, typically develop a woody, patchouli type scent.